The Cuban regime organized a "reaffirmation" event this Monday in front of the rooster of Morón, in Ciego de Ávila, following the massive protest by its residents last Friday.
“To prevent the truth from being distorted, and to reaffirm the unwavering decision of the people of Moron to defend this land, a broad representation of Moron residents gathers at the monument of the fighting rooster that identifies the city and its people,” is stated in a post by the official newspaper Invasor.
Videos sent to the editorial team of CiberCuba by some of the attendees at the event provide accounts of the speeches delivered, where, in the usual passive-aggressive tone of the regime's propaganda, praise for the police for not firing is mixed with threats that the demonstration could have been quelled in five minutes, referencing Iran and Palestine.
The event is part of the regime's damage control following last Friday's most intense day of protests in Cuba in recent months. A massive demonstration took to the streets of Morón.
Numerous videos on social media show groups of neighbors walking through the streets, chanting slogans against the government and conducting pot-banging protests.
During the protests, clashes also occurred in front of the municipal headquarters of the Party, where a fire was reported in the public thoroughfare and damage was caused to the building.
One of the most striking moments of the protest was captured in a video widely shared on the internet, showing the instant when a young man was injured after a shot was heard while he was near the PCC building.
In the images, the boy falls to the ground and is assisted by several protesters, who carry him and transport him on a motorcycle to take him to a hospital.
Although various reports on social media claim that the young man was shot by a police officer — and some even suggest that he might be a minor — official media have denied that there were any shots fired at protesters and maintain that the young man was injured in a fall.
The official narrative has also attempted to portray the events as isolated disturbances led by a small group of individuals manipulated from the outside, and state media report that five people have been detained.
The ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel stated on Saturday that the demands are legitimate as long as they are acted upon with "civility" following the protest in Morón early in the morning.
"It is understandable the discomfort caused in our people by the prolonged blackouts, as a consequence of the energy blockade by the U.S., which has cruelly intensified in recent months," wrote the leader on X, blaming the U.S., as is customary in the regime's propaganda, for the situation in Cuba.
"And the complaints and demands are legitimate, as long as they are made with civility and respect for public order. What will never be understandable, justified, or accepted is the violence and vandalism that threaten public peace and the security of our institutions," he added.
Díaz-Canel concluded this warning to the demonstrators: “There will be no impunity for vandalism and violence.”
Cuba has been experiencing more than 8 days of ongoing protests against the regime, with cries and signs proclaiming “Freedom” and “Down with communism.”
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